Drum deheading device

ABSTRACT

A device for cutting out an end wall of a container comprising a cutting blade mounted on a support which clamps to the container, and a handle pivoted to the body and connected by linkage for reciprocating the blade upwardly and downwardly to cut through the container wall.

United States Patent 1 Derwin July 17, 1973 [54] DRUM DEHEADING DEVICE2,898,675 8/1959 Sheehy 30/16 Dl67,25l 7 1952 B l d 6. X [76] Inventor:Louis A. Derwin, 4513 Cross St., 565,094 8x896 253? I Downers Grove,912,277 2/1909 Benson 74/105 [22] Filed: Apr. 26, 1971 PrimaryExaminer-Robert C. Riordon [21] Appl 137526 Assistant ExaminerGary L.Smith Attorney-John J. Kowalik [52] U.S. Cl 30/14, 30/55, 30/16 [51]Int. Cl B67b 7/36 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 30/61, 16, 361,

30/366 55 74/105 A device for cutting out an end wall of a containercomprising acutting blade mounted on a support which :2: oyacyl'gercipcag UNITED STATES PATENTS blade upwardly and downwardly to cutthrough the 1,397,2l7 l l/l92l Kepner 30/16 container lL 2,571,728lO/l95l Kuyk endall 30/16 2,622,316 12/1952 Borland 3016.] X 7 Claims, 7Drawing Figures 1 DRUM DEI'IEADING DEVICE DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ARTPrior art devices for cutting off the taps of large containers, usuallyreferred to as drums, which are generally of 55 gallon capacity, areeither of the chisel type or the cutter tyep. The chisel type comprisesa handle with a cutting blade at one end which is adapted to be struckby a mallet while the blade is held along the inner edge of the chime ofthe container. This type of tool, although it did cut off the top, leftragged edges, sheared off chips, and is clumsy to use. The cutter typesalso have some of the failings of the chisel type and in SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The present inventionis directed to a novel container openingdevice wherein the parts are so interrelated as to cooperatively holdonto the container and cut out the end cover leaving a relatively smoothfinished edge.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel cutter in whichthe cutting blade is guided in a rectilinear path for cutting and with asingle lever-handle advanced around the periphery of the drum cover.

A more specific object is to provide a novel cutter comprising a bodysection which is adapted to lay against the cylindrical outside surfaceof the container, for guiding the blade which works along the inner edgeof the chime mounting block which slides within the body, the bladebeing disposed in position to cut the top of the container adjacent tothe chime.

The body provides a hook adapted to rest upon the chime and having ashoulder underposed with respect to the chime and engaging thereunderupon the blade being forced downwardly in a cutting action.

A further object is to provide a novel cutter which is easy to apply andremove with respect to the container and to guide about the annularchime of the container.

A still further object is to devise a novel cutter which DESCRIPTION OFTHE INVENTION The cutting device generally indicated 2 comprises a body3 preferably of rectangular configuration. The body 3 has top and bottomedges 4 and 5 and lateral edges 6 and 7 and along the lateral edges isprovided with vertical grooves or guideways 8 and 9 which are defined byflanges 10 and 11 projecting normal to the body plate 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2)at said lateral edges and re-entrant flanges l3 and 14 extending fromflanges l0 and 11 generally parallel with the plate 12 and spacedoutwardly of the outer flat face 15 thereof.

A complementary rectangular mounting block or slide 18 has a flat innerface 19 engaging the face 15 and at its lateral edge portions 20 and 21fits into the grooves 8 and 9 in interlocked relation therewith forguided vertical sliding movements relative to the body member 3. i

The block 18 at its upper end 24 has a projection or overhang 25extending substantially normal therefrom a distance to overhang thechime or bead 26 of a container generally indicated 28. The projection25 has a stepped end face which provides avertical seat 30'and anadjoining downwardly facing shoulder 31.

A cutting blade 32 has its upper comer 33 nested into the comer 34(FIGS. 4 and 5) formed by the shoulder 31 and face 30 and has an upperedge 35 seated against the underface or shoulder 31 and has its outerface 36 seated against the seat 30. A pair of bolts 37, 37 extendthrough openings 38, 38 in the blade and into threaded apertures 39 inthe overhang 25. The heads 40 of these bolts abut the internal side 41of the blade and upon the bolts being drawn up hold the blade againstthe seat 30.

The lower portion 42 of the blade is of arcuate crosssection of a radiussubstantially that of a 55 gallon drum which is of standard size in theindustry so that the outer face 36 of the blade tits com'plementally tothe inner arcuate perimeter 43 of the chime 26 of the container. Theblade has a diagonal lower edge portion 44and is beveled at45 downwardlyfrom the inner face to the outer face to form a sharp cutting edge. Thusthe v blade gradually increases in depth from the leading is simple andrelatively inexpensive to fabricate and which operates efficiently andperforms a satisfactory cutting operation.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed bythe invention will become more readily apparent from the specificationsand the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an inner side elevational view of the novel cutter;

FIG. 2 is an end view thereof taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an outer side elevational view thereof taken;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof looking toward the inner sidethereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view thereof looking toward the outer sidethereof;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the cutter applied to acontainer which is broken away and in section, and

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section of the blade taken substantially on line7-7 of FIG. 4.

edge 46 to the trailing edge 47 whereby the cut into the end plate orcover 48 of the container is made from the rear end to the forwardendofthe blade as hereinafter described.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, the upper edge 4 of body portion'3 formsa shoulder which engages with the bottom edge 50 of the chime duringcutting as hereinafter described A pair of hooks 51, 51 are secured tothe lateral edges 6 and 7 of the body, each having a vertical leg 52offset outwardly of the inner face 54 of the body, the legs projectingabove the ledge 4 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of thechime. Hook flanges 55, 55 project from the upper ends of the legs 52over the chime and are adapted to seat upon the upper edge 56 of thechime preparatory to cutting.

The linkage generally designated 58 is provided for operating the bladeand comprises a vertically positioned motion transfer swing link 59which opposes the outer side 60 of theslide block 18 and at its upperend 61 is pivoted by a pin or bolt 62 suitably fastened or threaded intothe upper end portion 24 of the block 18. The lower end 63 of the link59 is pivotally connected by a bolt or pin 64 to an operating handle orlever 65 intermediate its ends adjacent to one end 66, at which end thehandle is pivotally connected by a pin or bolt 67 to the body 3 at theflange 13 thereof.

In operation the cutter is hung from the hook flanges 55, 55 from thechime and the body 3 is laid against the external surface 68 of thecylindrical body 69 of the container 28. The body 3 is provided with anabutment pad 71 at its lower end projecting inwardly from the inner sideof the body. The pad has an arcuate external abutment surface 72 whichcomplementally engages the surface 68 of the container.

It will be observed that the knife blade can be raised high enough toclear the chime and fits against the inner edge of the chime while thehook lugs rest upon the chime and the reaction ledge 4 extends beneaththe chime. As the handle is grasped by the operator and moved down, theknife point 75 pierces the top 48, and after cutting the length of theblade the operator raises the handle and moves the cutter forwardlyoverlapping with the point 75 the previous cut and proceeds to pressdown on the handle to shear again. The procedure is continued around theentire container until the top 48 is severed from the chime. The outerface of the knife neatly folds the cut edge portions of the coveragainst the interior of the container.

1 claim:

1. A deheader device for a drum having a cylindrical body and a cover ateach end of the body and an annular chime interconnecting each coverwith the body, comprising:

a. a support adapted to be positioned against the body;

b. mounting means vertically reciprocal on the support and having:

a knife mounting portion projecting therefrom for overhanging relationto the chime:

c. a cutting blade depending from said knife mounting portion forengagement with the internal periphery of the chime; said bladc havingleading and trailing edges;

d. an abutment shoulder on the support for engagement with the underedgeof the chime;

e. a manually operable leverage linkage connected between the supportandmounting means for reciprocating the mounting means and advancing theblade into cutting relation with the adjacent cover and retracting theblade therefrom;

f. said linkage comprising a motion transfer link having an upper endpivotally connected to the upper end of said mounting means;

g. an operating handle having one end pivotally connected to the supportand pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the lower end of saidlink; and

h. said mounting means comprising a block, and said support comprising avertical guideway admitting said block therein and the point of pivot ofthe link with said block being substantially midway between the lateraledges thereof, and the point of pivotal connection of the handle withthe support being adjacent to the leading edge of the blade.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and said support having abutmentmeans with an arcuate containerengaging face.

3. The invention according to claim 2 and said blade being transverselycurved and substantially concentric with the interior surface of thechime.

4. The invention according to claim 1 and said support comprising hookmeans projecting above said abutment shoulder and having hooking flangesof an extent vertically overlapping the abutment shoulder for hangingsaid device from a drum over the chime thereof.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and said support comprising ablock and a container-body abutting element projecting on the blockinwardly therefrom below said abutment shoulder and having a concavecomplemental container-engaging face.

6. The invention according to claim 5 and said mounting means comprisingan element having telescoping relation with the block.

7. The invention according to claim 6 and said blade having leading andtrailing edges and a diagonal lower cutting edge converging at an acuteangle with said trailing edge.

1. A deheader device for a drum having a cylindrical body and a cover ateach end of the body and an annular chime interconnecting each coverwith the body, comprising: a. a support adapted to be positioned againstthe body; b. mounting means vertically reciprocal on the support andhaving: a knife mounting portion projecting therefrom for overhangingrelation to the chime: c. a cutting blade depending from said knifemounting portion for engagement with the internal periphery of thechime; said blade having leading and trailing edges; d. an abutmentshoulder on the support for engagement with the underedge of the chime;e. a manually operable leverage linkage connected between the supportand mounting means for reciprocating the mounting means and advancingthe blade into cutting relation with the adjacent cover and retractingthe blade therefrom; f. said linkage comprising a motion transfer linkhaving an upper end pivotally connected to the upper end of saidmounting means; g. an operating handle having one end pivotallyconnected to the support and pivotally connected intermediate its endsto the lower end of said link; and h. said mounting means comprising ablock, and said support comprising a vertical guideway admitting saidblock therein and the point of pivot of the link with said block beingsubstantially midway between the lateral edges thereof, and the point ofpivotal connection of the handle with the support being adjacent to theleading edge of the blade.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 andsaid support having abutment means with an arcuate container-engagingface.
 3. The invention according to claim 2 and said blade beingtransversely curved and substantially concentric with the interiorsurface of the chime.
 4. The invention according to claim 1 and saidsupport comprising hook means projecting above said abutment shoulderand having hooking flanges of an extent vertically overlapping theabutment shoulder for hanging said device from a drum over the chimethereof.
 5. The invention according to claim 4 and said supportcomprising a block and a container-body abutting element projecting onthe block inwardly therefrom below said abutment shoulder and having aconcave complemental container-engaging face.
 6. The invention accordingto claim 5 and said mounting means comprising an element havingtelescoping relation with the block.
 7. The invention according to claim6 and said blade having leading and trailing edges and a diagonal lowercutting edge converging at an acute angle with said trailing edge.